Street-Level Art

If you’ve ever driven or taken a stroll down Linden Avenue in the Huffman Historic District, you may have been struck by the beauty of the tunnel of oak and linden trees that create a continuous canopy overhead. Or perhaps you were too distracted by the stately collection of Queen Anne, Italianate, and Eastlake Victorian homes. Especially in the fall, there’s a certain magic in the air in Huffman when jack-o-lanterns grace front porch steps and the leaves of the tree canopy transition to autumn colors.

This October 12th and 13th, that magic will be alive and well when the Huffman Historic Neighborhood Association puts on their biannual, guided home tour, “The Spirit of Huffman.” The Spirit of Huffman home tour’s tagline is, “Where Halloween and History Collide,” and, indeed it’s true, when the outing offers tour goers a visual feast of Halloween decorations and entertainment dispersed among the Victorian homes.

Participants of the home tour will be guided through the neighborhood, established in the 1860s through the 1890s by William P. Huffman, stopping to tour nine unique homes: one totally renovated house, a home bought through auction, homes renovated through Rehabarama, one home that housed the neighborhood post office, and two houses that were doctor’s offices. They will encounter an extensive collection of Halloween decorations, marble mantles, one-of-a-kind woodwork, bay windows, original hitching posts for horses, original carriage houses, carpenter’s lace, fretwork, corbels, towers, and curved-glass windows. Along the way, they’ll take note of Dayton’s first brick school house, two beautiful Victorian churches with active congregations, and an old market that is looking at a second life. They’ll hear about the importance of the community’s connection to the country’s largest manufacturer of bicycles.

Each time The Spirit of Huffman Tour is presented, visitors are entertained. In addition to being a tour of today’s homes, this is an energized evening walk through time. Expect to meet up with Huffman residents of a century ago who are scheduled to make an historic return engagement this year – just in time to make the past live again. Visitors are advised: It is likely you will be transported beyond the Victorian architecture you are coming to see. Come prepared for several “Close Encounters of the Huffman Kind” as they pull back the curtain on time, revealing William Huffman’s new dream for a diverse community of bankers, laborers, shopkeepers, and street vendors at a moment when it is all so exciting and new. When you come, be sure to listen carefully. The winds of change are rustling through the prairie grasses outside the city. It is 1870 and thanks to one man’s vision, Huffman Prairie is about to transform into the vibrant “Inner East” of Dayton.

A special thank you to sponsors DK Effects, LinkDayton, Blackbox Improv, Dayton Most Metro, St. Anne the Tart, Gem City Podcast and our great neighborhood of volunteers helping to keep the Spirit of Huffman alive.

Even though this seems like a simple idea, if it worked, it could produce profound results. So in 2013 the organizers of the first “Play on a Porch Day” decided to share this idea with the world and to their surprise the idea spread even faster than they could have ever imagined.

In 2017 thousands of musicians from at least 40 countries and over 400 cities – including Dayton for the first time – participated and the movement continues to grow every day. Musicians from across the globe, regardless of their differences, are finding common ground through music.

This year Dayton again participates in this growing international music phenomenon as the now annual event known as Dayton Porchfest, a free, family friendly event for all ages. The festivities take place in the historic St. Anne’s Hill neighborhood, just east of downtown. There you will find over 40 live Dayton musical acts performing on home owner’s porches. Not only do you get to listen to music all afternoon, you get to experience one of Dayton’s most charming neighborhoods!

This event celebrates Dayton’s rich and diverse music scene, with musicians and bands covering funk and blues to indie rock and jazz, classical and country, to bluegrass and old time muisc that has deep Appalachian roots here. This event also celebrates our “Welcome Dayton” spirit that has contributed to a significant influx of immigrants and refugees over the past decade.

Dayton Porchfest is organized by The Collaboratory, a non-profit incubator for community enterprises and initiatives, located on Courthouse Square. Proceeds from Porchfest go to benefit The Collaboratory. Tips for the musicians are appreciated!

St Anne’s is home to the Fifth Street Brew Pub, who will be open during the festivities. Four food trucks will also be on site, including: McNasty’s, Courtland’s Mobile Grill, Pa’s Pork, Chi-Dogs, and Gary’s Italian Ice. Be sure to scroll below for map and music schedule.

How to Go?

When: Saturday August 25th from 1:30pm – 7pm aka “International Play on the Porch” Day. See schedule below.

Where: Throughout St. Anne’s Hill Historic District located between 4th and Josie St. Please do not park in the neighborhood. Parking is available at the Liederkranz building, Stivers High School, Becker Electric, RSC Graphics, and Miami Valley Gasket. Signs will be present. See map below.

Sideshow is celebrating its 13th anniversary of creating a free show of Art and Music that all ages can enjoy. Sideshow is run entirely by volunteers and uses fundraisers and donations to offset the cost of hosting a show featuring more than 100 local artists and musicians.

This event will be the biggest Sideshow yet with sculpture, painting, music, performers, wrestling, dancers, comedy, food trucks, local brews, photography and much more. It will also feature a special Kid’s Sideshow portion. Over the years this has become an event that draws creators from all backgrounds, all levels of skill and all media. Fostering an open creative environment that will grow talent of all kinds has been the organizer’s goal from the start.

Yellow Cab Tavern is a community art space and music venue in Dayton, Ohio in the Motor Car District near the Oregon District. Formerly, home to a taxi business for more than 40 years, they now host a variety of events – art shows, live music, food truck rallies and much more.

Music Schedule:

Friday Main Stage7:00pm-7:40pm John Dubuc and the Guilty Pleasures7:40pm-8:20pm NOVAGOLD8:20pm-9:00pm The Repeating Arms9:00pm-9:40pm The Zygotes9:40pm-10:20pm Nasty Bingo10:20pm-11:00pm The New Old Fashioned11:00pm-11:40pm Bribing Senators11:40pm-12:20am Todd the Fox12:20am-1:00am Dip Spit vs. Duderus

This weekend, don’t miss out on Ladyfest Dayton, the music & art festival that highlights the fabulous women of Dayton!The annual celebration is hosted over Labor Day weekend at Yellow Cab Tavern. Organizers state that they hope to bring together and inspire people through music, art, and education. While the festival itself is a celebration of women in the arts, their goal is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of gender identity.

Attending Ladyfest is not just cool, it’s also a way to give back directly to the community. Past Ladyfests have benefited PUSH Dayton, Artemis Center, and Planned Parenthood. In 2015, the festival raised $6,584.14 for WE CARE ARTS. In 2016 they raised $8,300 for the Dayton YWCA Shelter Services. LADYFEST 2017 will benefit Oak Tree Corner.

Keep scrolling for details on how to go to the event, who will be there, and what to enjoy!

It’s not a difficult task to discover visual arts in downtown Dayton. Whether you’re exploring a gallery space or admiring local products sold in downtown businesses, Dayton’s rich arts amenities abound. Last year, we introduced our first event in the new Summer in the City series in May, and it was a blast. But we’ve got a lot more in store for art lovers at this year’s event. Pack your bags, because you’re in for a trip! Art in the City is the next signature event of the 2016 DP&L Summer in the City lineup, and it promises to be quite the visual feast.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership is helping to roll out a new juried art show. The Dayton Visual Arts Center pulled together 26 talented local artists whose work will be on display in different downtown businesses. Our goals are simple: We hope to encourage art lovers to discover a new downtown business, and we want to introduce regular patrons to incredible local art. We’re also throwing another element into the mix: You get to decide which artist nabs the title of “People’s Choice” by voting for your favorite artist or artwork. Voting starts Friday, June 3, and closes at noon on June 17. Visit downtowndayton.org for details.

To kick off the open voting session, we’re hosting a huge visual arts party, complete with live demonstrations, hands-on activities, and other interactive programs throughout downtown. It’s free! It’s fantastic! It’s fun for all ages! And it lasts from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, June 3.

You can meet the artists from the juried show pop-up galleries in their spaces, and you can check out an array of other arts activities sprinkled around downtown, including:

The Front Street Experience: Watch artists blow glass and create street art on canvas, get your face painted, and take a selfie at the art wall, located on Courthouse Square. While you’re there, check out more fun going on for the kickoff of Dayton Pride weekend, Affair on the Square.

K12 Gallery & TEJAS: The whole family will enjoy visual arts activities and special performances by SMAG Dance Collective. Get down on the dance floor with music by DJ Tony Whitfield and DJ Scorpius Max. Visit “Make n’ Take” stations and create garden art planters and garden wire sculptures. Juice bar and snacks also available for purchase.

Mendelson’s Mural: A new mural-painting company, The Mural Machine, is taking art to the streets and transforming buildings. Watch them work on their current project, Mendelson’s Outlet, off First Street.

Art on 5th: Following the success of its first art show and handmade craft sale, theNorthGate returns with its next gallery and market, located at Fifth and Wilkinson in the former historic Salvation Army building.

Dayton Art Institute: If you haven’t seen the latest exhibit, Into the Ether, you’ll be inspired to visit the interactive light gallery when you visit the museum’s special Art in the City location near Lily’s Bistro (329 E. Fifth St.). Make your own luminary with color-changing LED lights!

Innovative Arts Nexus (IAN): The University of Dayton’s former Art Street program has gone beyond art as a creative medium for expression and turned it into an application for creative problem solving and innovation. Learn more about the process and challenge your perceptions at their interactive experience in front of the Clair Lofts (St. Clair Street between Third and Fourth streets).

Nucleus CoShare: Not only will you get to see one of the largest pop-up gallery installations at this space, you can experience a variety of other local artists. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could work here? Memberships to the co-shared office space are still available. Chat with the staff on-site to learn more about rates and benefits (besides being surrounded by inspirational artwork).

Courteous Mass: Get a new perspective on your city from the seat of a bike. Join a group ride to tour public art installations on a new iteration of the Bike the Arts Bonus: The new culture-wrapped Link Bike also will be unveiled! The ride departs from Don Crawford Plaza (Fifth Third Field) at 6:30 p.m.

Big changes are coming to the nearly 1,000-foot-long floodwall across from RiverScape MetroPark this summer. A colorful, active living-themed design, created by Oakwood resident Amy Deal, has been selected for the River Run mural in downtown Dayton.

Amy Deal with her winning designs. Photo by Val Beerbower

“My vision was to approach the project by including what is happening on and near the river, as well as showcasing that our river is healthy with an abundance of beautiful nature and wildlife,” said Deal, whose design was among more than 80 submitted. “The bike/running/walking trails in Dayton are spectacular. The impending River Run project is exciting and will only enhance river activity. I also included historical significance by symbolizing the Wright Brother’s Wright Flyer with graphic use of lines, which represent bridges. The circles represent Dayton’s history with bicycles. Dayton is active with cycling, walking, running, rollerblading, canoeing and kayaking to name a few. Dayton has opportunities for everyone.”

The Downtown Dayton Partnership (DDP), Miami Conservancy District (MCD), and Five Rivers MetroParks led the search for artists/designers to submit ideas to be painted on the 953-foot-long, concrete floodwall on the north side of the Great Miami River.

“The goal of the project is to commission a design that highlights or reveals something unique about the recreational, environmental or aesthetic beauty of the river,” said Bear Monita, chair of the design selection committee. “Amy Deal’s design does just that.”

Production of the mural will begin this summer. Downtown art programming and education services provider K12 Gallery will serve as the contractor, tasked with applying Deal’s design to the floodwall.

“We believe the mural will add to the attractiveness of Dayton’s riverfront and transform our floodwall into a piece of artwork for thousands to enjoy on a daily basis,” said Janet Bly, general manager of MCD, the agency managing the Dayton region’s flood protection system since 1915.

The River Run Mural will complement RiverScape River Run, a project that seeks to improve riparian habitat along the Great Miami River by removing dangerous low dams and replacing them with in-river flow control structures that double as recreational paddle sport channels.

RiverScape River Run is the signature project of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a multipronged economic development initiative and strategic blueprint for Dayton’s center city. A vibrant, thriving center city is crucial to the prosperity of the City of Dayton and Dayton region. The Greater Downtown Dayton Plan calls for building on downtown’s strengths to create the type of bustling city in demand today and to attract the young, talented workforce needed to propel Dayton’s economy.

The River Run mural project began when MCD rehabilitated the 90-year-old wall last fall and is made possible through the support of the CareSource Foundation, The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, and Cox Media Group Ohio. Visit www.downtowndayton.org for more information.

Neenah Ellis, general manager of public radio station 91.3 WYSO in Yellow Springs, has announced several changes to its programming line-up designed to refresh, update and energize the station’s sound. “Programming a public radio station is a balancing act taking into account financial sustainability while maintaining our distinctive voice,” said Ellis. “We want to keep a good balance between local and national sources, between news and entertainment. We want to satisfy our long-time listeners and attract and new audience members.”

As part of the news-related programming and scheduling changes, WYSO will add a two-hour call-in show called On Point, produced by public radio member station WBUR in Boston. On Point will air weekdays at 10:00 am beginning Monday, September 29, 2014. The addition of On Point, hosted by long-time journalist Tom Ashbrook, will fulfill a strong demand from listeners for news-related talk programming in that time slot, according to Ellis. “Listeners have been telling me for years about their desire for this kind of programming during the day. The results of the listener survey we conducted this summer confirm this. This was the single most requested programming change we heard from our listeners,” Ellis said. Nearly nine hundred people took the on-line listener survey, says Ellis.

Excursions, hosted by long-time WYSO Music Director Niki Dakota, will begin at noon and run until 3:00 pm. Changes will also occur on Saturday afternoon from 1- 5 pm beginning on October 4, where a succession of new programs will be introduced. On Saturday afternoons at 1:00pm WYSO will carry Studio360 from WNYC in New York, a cultural magazine program hosted by Kurt Andersen, followed by the storytelling program The Moth Radio Hour, The Ted Radio Hour from NPR, based on “Ted Talks,” andOn The Media hosted by Bob Garfield and Brooke Gladstone, which WYSO has previously aired in another timeslot.

“We know that our listeners are highly engaged and studies demonstrate that, across the board, the most popular programs on public radio are those that engage listeners through content that is both informational and entertaining on topics that are meaningful and relevant; all new programs do just that,” said Ellis.

Norm Whitman retires after 30 years

Moving off the schedule will be Detours, a folk music program hosted by local musician Norm Whitman, who is retiring after more than thirty years as a WYSO music volunteer. Dear, Green Place hosted by Cindy Funk will move to 6pm on Saturday evening. “We can’t thank Norm Whitman enough for his years of loyal dedication to folk music and we know his listeners will
miss him dearly,” Ellis said. “He has created a program from week to week with his whole heart and soul. Luckily, he has agreed to appear from time to time on Excursions to lend his expertise and great sense of humor to our airwaves.”

“The programs we’re adding are excellent – chosen with Miami Valley listeners in mind – to keep WYSO relevant, fresh and strong,” Ellis said. “While we know some people will be disappointed that their favorite programs are going away, we encourage them to experience the strong new line-up new that offers the kind of content that attracts listeners to public radio in the first place.”

Multiple factors were taken into consideration in WYSO’s programming decision:

Ongoing listener feedback to the staff & volunteers during face-to-face conversations at events, via email, phone calls & regular mail
Data-gathering tools which measure listening habits like Arbitron and WYSO’s own listener survey
Listening trends in public radio across the country
Listener feedback during fund drives

A full description of all the program changes at WYSO can be found at their website, WYSO.org. The new schedule will go into effect on Monday September 29.

Roaming performers, saxophonist Tyrone Martin and steel drum player Joseph Glenn, entertain the crowd during the July First Friday.

Art. Music. Shopping. Food. Fun. First Friday in downtown Dayton is about all of these things.

This free event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, throughout downtown. The August First Friday is always one of the year’s largest, and this year promises to be the same with the range of activities taking place.Roaming performers — the McGovern Ceili Dancers, acoustic duo Pourover and juggler Tony Steinbach — will provide entertainment throughout downtown.

If you plan to enter the Downtown in Focus photo contest, be sure to bring your camera along. From 8 to 11 p.m.,most of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture city nightscapes to enter in the competition.

Just a few events taking place during the Aug. 2 First Friday are listed below:

In honor of the second anniversary of Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.), the store will throw a party to celebrate with all its customers. Entertainment will be provided by DJs Mike Wishnewski and Matt Freeman and henna artist Lily Whitehead. Boston Bistro will cater, and a $2 sidewalk sale will be held. Work by artist Robert Walker also will be featured. Call 937-241-9434.

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. Rides are free of charge and all skill levels are welcome. This month’s route will go past the downtown dog park, hit spots in Old North Dayton and surrounding areas (DATV, Mike Sell’s Potato Chips, Charlie’s Deli and Whitewater Warehouse) and head down the Mad River bike path back.

Synergy Incubators will produce their fourth First Friday Food Truck Rally. Street Food is all the ragea and Dayton Food Park (2oo S. Jefferson St.) will have 14 of Dayton’s food trucks lined up from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. After you grab some grub, browse through the booths of local artisans that include jewelry, homemade soaps, pottery and other crafts.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood, the Dayton Visual Arts Center(118 N. Jefferson St.) is showcasing artwork by local artists around the theme “Water, Water Everywhere.” Visitors can talk to the featured artists from the exhbit. The gallery will be open until 8 p.m. Call 937-224-3822.

Green Baby (31 S. St. Clair St.) will exhibit work by local artist Bley Hack, offer free chair massages to visitors and host a sale on select children’s items. The store will be open until 8 p.m. Call 469-8665.

Miami-Jacobs (110 N Patterson Blvd.) will host a Summer Block Party. HOT-FM 102.9 and WROU-FM 92.1 will broadcast live from the event, and entertainment includes a photo booth, indoor cornhole tournament and outdoor games. Call 937-668-0213.

As part of the First Friday Salsa Music Series, Son del Caribe will play live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark (111 E. Monument Ave.) on the MetroPark Pavilion Stage. Experience sounds that include salsa and other styles of Latin dance music. Call 937-274-0126.

Sew Dayton (16 Brown St.) will showcase artist-of-the-month Craig Galentine, creator of the The Kokeshi Clan. A group of local children will be selling lemonade for Hanna’s Treasure Chest outside the store and the winner of the “Make It Work” contest will be announced, along with the next challenge. Call 937-234-7398.

One amateur winner and one professional winner will be selected in each of the following categories:

Downtown Living: You know that place you and your friends go to every Saturday night downtown? Now is your chance to win some money for being a regular! Take photos showing off Dayton’s vibrant dining and nightlife scene, urban housing or anything else unique to living and playing downtown.

I Heart Downtown: The architecture of one of the historic buildings you have always admired. Your favorite spot along the river. That coffee shop where you buy your morning brew — this category is wide open to photograph anything and everything you love about downtown Dayton.

Skyline: It’s hard to single out the best thing about Dayton, so why not just capture the whole city? Show us your best shot of our downtown Dayton skyline!

A panel of judges ― consisting of professional photographers, photography editors and instructors, and arts community leaders ― will select the winners in each category and award a $250 cash prize to the Best in Show winner in each division. Honorable mentions also will be awarded at the discretion of the judges. In addition, City of Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell will select one photo that best represents the City’s “Dayton Originals” motto. This photographer will receive a gift basket from the City of Dayton. Contest winners will be recognized at the Sept. 20 Urban Nights, and all entries will be displayed in a special exhibit during Urban Nights.

From approximately 8 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, during First Friday, many of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture night shots of the city.

The deadline to submit photos is 5 p.m.Friday, Aug. 30, 2013. There is no fee for application or participation.

Photographers are not required to be Dayton-area residents, but winners must be age 18 or older. Photos must have been taken in Greater Downtown ― which includes the Central Business District, Oregon Arts District, Webster Station and the ring of neighborhoods that surrounds downtown ― within the past calendar year. Official contest guidelines and entry forms are available at www.downtowndayton.org and www.daytonohio.gov.

Urban Nights seems like a long way off, but it’s not too early to get involved with one of the many events that kick off May 11th. The Dayton Circus has begun preparations for Side Show 7, which will take place May 11th and 12th at the Circus’ space, the Yellow Cab Building on 4th Street.